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On Monday, the U.S. military reported conducting another strike against a boat suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in the death of two individuals. This action is part of an ongoing campaign initiated by the Trump administration aimed at dismantling alleged drug-trafficking operations in Latin American waters.
Since early September, this campaign has led to the destruction of numerous vessels, with at least 188 fatalities recorded so far. These strikes have not been limited to the Caribbean; similar operations have been executed in the eastern Pacific Ocean as well.
Even amidst the tensions of the Iran conflict, the frequency of these strikes has increased recently. This indicates that the administration remains committed to its robust efforts to combat what it labels as “narcoterrorism” within the Western Hemisphere.
The military has not provided evidence that any of the vessels were carrying drugs.
The attacks began as the US built up its largest military presence in the region in generations and came months ahead of the raid in January that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
He was brought to New York to face drug trafficking charges and has pleaded not guilty.
In the latest attack Monday, US Southern Command repeated previous statements by saying it had targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes.
It posted a video on X showing a boat moving along the water before a massive explosion engulfs the vessel in flames.
President Donald Trump has said the US is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and fatal overdoses claiming American lives. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”
Critics, meanwhile, have questioned the overall legality of the boat strikes.